Mercenarius
Banned
UPDATE: This timeline has been revamped. For the new version, go here.
Prologue
By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, Spain was left in ruins. Its economy in shambles, and its empire standing on shaky ground. The restored king Fernando VII didn't help matters. He nullified the Cádiz Constitution and imposed autocratic rule, in hopes of restoring Spain to its old glory. But what it did was the opposite. The people later became dissatified with Fernando's heavy-handed rule and began to rebel. The Spanish colonies in the Americas managed to secede from the Crown and declared independence, reducing the once mighty colonial realm into a few islands and outposts in Africa and the Caribbean, and its sole possession in Asia: the Philippines.
The Spanish government grew more distrustful of criollos and mestizos, and employed countermeasures againt them, aiming to avoid another secession. Several peninsular officials that were expelled from the Americas were transferred to Manila, replacing the existing criollo ones. This caused resentment amongst the criollos, perceiving it as a prejudice against them. The changes were also extended to the military, demoting criollo officers and promoting peninsular ones. As expected, the criollos protested. But the government responded by transferring them to Mindanao. One criollo Captain named Andrés Novales decided that enough is enough, and began to plot against the government.
On the night of June 1st 1823, 800 soldiers under the command of Novales and Lieutenant Rafael Ruiz[1] attacked government positions in Manila, killing several Spanish officials in the process including Mariano Rodriguez de Folgueras, the man responsible for their misery. Not so urprisingly, the common folk joined the mutineers, also tired of the injustices of the Spaniards
This victory endeared Novales to his men, proclaiming him emperor. But for Novales, the battle has just begun, and led his men into Fort Santiago. Andrés requested his brother Antonio to open the fort's gate, but he refused resulting into a deadly standoff. Things turned around however, when the latter's subordinates went against his orders and opened the gates.[2] Antonio was then held hostage by his own men, who now joined Andrés' growing army. The conquest of Manila was virtually complete.
The event send shockwaves throughout the nearby provinces, provoking other Filipinos to rise up against the Spanish yoke. Unfortunately, victory was not yet guaranteed. In the midst of chaos, Governor-General Juan Antonio Martínez and some surviving Royalist troops escaped to Pampanga, and prepared for a counterattack. This set the stage for the largest war yet on Philippine soil.
The Philippine War of Independence has begun.
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[1] I decided to give him a first name since it was not recorded IOTL. I hope it's okay (If you know his true first name, please tell me.)
[2] This is the POD. IOTL, Antonio Novales resisted his brother's forces until Spanish reinforcements arrived to crush the rebels.
The Queen of the Orient: A Philippine History
Prologue
By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, Spain was left in ruins. Its economy in shambles, and its empire standing on shaky ground. The restored king Fernando VII didn't help matters. He nullified the Cádiz Constitution and imposed autocratic rule, in hopes of restoring Spain to its old glory. But what it did was the opposite. The people later became dissatified with Fernando's heavy-handed rule and began to rebel. The Spanish colonies in the Americas managed to secede from the Crown and declared independence, reducing the once mighty colonial realm into a few islands and outposts in Africa and the Caribbean, and its sole possession in Asia: the Philippines.
The Spanish government grew more distrustful of criollos and mestizos, and employed countermeasures againt them, aiming to avoid another secession. Several peninsular officials that were expelled from the Americas were transferred to Manila, replacing the existing criollo ones. This caused resentment amongst the criollos, perceiving it as a prejudice against them. The changes were also extended to the military, demoting criollo officers and promoting peninsular ones. As expected, the criollos protested. But the government responded by transferring them to Mindanao. One criollo Captain named Andrés Novales decided that enough is enough, and began to plot against the government.
On the night of June 1st 1823, 800 soldiers under the command of Novales and Lieutenant Rafael Ruiz[1] attacked government positions in Manila, killing several Spanish officials in the process including Mariano Rodriguez de Folgueras, the man responsible for their misery. Not so urprisingly, the common folk joined the mutineers, also tired of the injustices of the Spaniards
This victory endeared Novales to his men, proclaiming him emperor. But for Novales, the battle has just begun, and led his men into Fort Santiago. Andrés requested his brother Antonio to open the fort's gate, but he refused resulting into a deadly standoff. Things turned around however, when the latter's subordinates went against his orders and opened the gates.[2] Antonio was then held hostage by his own men, who now joined Andrés' growing army. The conquest of Manila was virtually complete.
The event send shockwaves throughout the nearby provinces, provoking other Filipinos to rise up against the Spanish yoke. Unfortunately, victory was not yet guaranteed. In the midst of chaos, Governor-General Juan Antonio Martínez and some surviving Royalist troops escaped to Pampanga, and prepared for a counterattack. This set the stage for the largest war yet on Philippine soil.
The Philippine War of Independence has begun.
---
[1] I decided to give him a first name since it was not recorded IOTL. I hope it's okay (If you know his true first name, please tell me.)
[2] This is the POD. IOTL, Antonio Novales resisted his brother's forces until Spanish reinforcements arrived to crush the rebels.
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